The present invention relates to a resistance connecting device which, under a specific situation, forcibly connects a device serving as an electrical resistance to an electrical circuit.
Recently, various devices formed of electrical circuits, such as control devices that control activation of electric motors, have been proposed and put into practical use. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-181308 discloses a device that includes an electrical circuit including a capacitor. This device, at the time of abnormality, forcibly stops an electric power supply to the electrical circuit and connects, to the electrical circuit, a resistor or a device functioning as a resistor for forcibly discharging charge accumulated in the capacitor.
The device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-181308 has an electrical circuit for driving an electric motor for driving a vehicle. When a collision of a vehicle is detected, a connection of a storage battery for supplying electric power and the electrical circuit is cut off, and the electrical circuit is connected to a horn and headlights. Therefore, at the time of a collision of the vehicle, the electric power supply to the electrical circuit is cut off. Along therewith, charge accumulated in the capacitor of the electrical circuit is consumed by the horn and headlights to be discharged.
In the above-described device, at the time of abnormality, a device functioning as a resistor is connected to the electrical circuit. However, the above-described device is composed of a plurality of electrical devices, such as a device functioning as a resistor and a switch to connect the resistor to the electrical circuit. Therefore, the device structure is complicated, and of the ability to mount the device is also poor.